Spain's triumphant players will return to Barajas Airport in Madrid today at 1pm with thousands expected to greet them. After a month in South Africa, Vicente del Bosque's team had won the hearts of the whole nation even before they lifted the World Cup for the first time in the country's history.

Fernando Torres may yet get his wish to start the World Cup final for Spain tomorrow because of lingering fears over the fitness of striker David Villa, who is understood to be worried about a dead leg.